


a good friend (and a glass of wine)

by LiveLaughLovex



Category: The Code (TV 2019)
Genre: Gen, Post-Episode: s01e09 Smoke Pit, Season/Series 01 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 03:09:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19455094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLovex/pseuds/LiveLaughLovex
Summary: "You're a first-rate Marine, and Bard's a first-rate moron."Post "Smoke Pit." Harper and Maya meet to talk about weddings, family... life in general.





	a good friend (and a glass of wine)

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from a Leanne Rimes song by the same name.

“Hey,” Maya Dobbins greeted, standing with a smile as Harper approached the booth the other woman had claimed for them. “I didn’t know what you’d want to drink, so the bartender’s on standby for when you’re ready.”

“Thanks,” Harper sighed, sliding into the booth across from her coworker. “And I’m sorry to call so late.”

“Don’t worry about it. My flight just landed a few hours ago. All I was doing was staring at my walls, and that’s probably not the best use of my time.” Maya took a sip of her drink, then set the glass back down on the table. “Your engagement party’s tomorrow.”

“My engagement party was _supposed_ to be tomorrow,” Harper corrected evenly, flipping slowly through the drink menu. “Kind of pointless to celebrate something that’s been called off though, isn’t it?”

“Bard called things off?” Maya asked incredulously.

“No. I did. Bard just showed me why I needed to.” Harper sighed. “He was just like all the rest of them.”

“I’m sorry,” Maya murmured genuinely. “But at least you found out before you were wearing a white dress and walking down the aisle, right?”

“Well, I wasn’t walking down the aisle, but I was in the white dress.” She shrugged noncommittally when Maya eyed her curiously. “We were going to elope. I told him I didn’t want to go through with the whole wedding extravaganza. I was in my dress, he was in his tux, and then he told me he wanted our future to be one of dinner parties and gala receptions.”

“Who even _likes_ dinner parties and gala receptions?” Maya scoffed, downing the rest of her drink and then gesturing to the bartender for another. Harper placed her order when the woman stopped by the table, as well. The second she was gone, the captain redirected her attention to the lieutenant across from her.

“My family. Bard’s family. Bard, it turns out.” Harper shook her head. “I used to be the sort of girl who would’ve been happy to spend all my time around drunken stockbrokers and billionaires. And then I just – I’m not that girl anymore.”

“Be glad you’re not that girl anymore,” Maya advised. “I had to pretend to be that girl this weekend to help my brother with his campaign. Hated every minute of it. That’s why I’m on my third drink.”

“I was in the Corps when he proposed,” Harper reminded her friend quietly. “I never told him it was a phase, something I needed to get out of my system. He just assumed that. He assumed it like my parents did, and his parents did, and everyone who’s never bothered to really get to know me did. I almost went through with marrying him. What does that say about my ability to perceive things?”

“Mm. You remember when Abe complimented you all those months ago, told you he gave you a hard time because he knew you could handle it? The man does not compliment people lightly. It’s similar to pulling teeth with him, honestly. So, trust me when I tell you, Harper, that your perception is just fine. You’re a first-rate Marine, and Bard’s a first-rate moron.”

Harper smiled humorlessly. “Maybe that’s true, but it doesn’t mean anyone’s going to understand it. My parents and most of my friends don’t get why I’m not with Bard anymore; Abe and almost everyone else at work didn’t get why I was with him in the first place.”

“I’ve seen pictures of him. I get why you were with him.” Maya winced when she caught sight of the look on Harper’s face. “Too soon, huh? Yeah, that was too soon.”

Harper smiled politely at the waitress who dropped off her gin and tonic. “Can we talk about something else, please?” she begged once the server had left. “Ruminating on my love life all night is getting pretty depressing.”

“Sure. My brother’s getting support from the national party,” Maya informed her. “My brother in politics, me in the Marines – they think it’ll garner a lot of attention and support.”

“Yeah? What do you think?” Harper asked curiously.

“I think it’ll be good for him,” Maya confided. “He’s always been at his best when he has a very clear goal, and helping the people who need it most… well, he lives for that.”

“I hope it works out for him,” Harper replied, taking another sip of her drink. “You both deserve that. I’ve never had a sister, Dobbins, but I know enough to know you’re a good one.”

“Thank you. That means a lot.” Maya rested her elbows on the table. “So. Do you want us to teach Bard a lesson? Because I can probably have Abe in New York City to help me out before midnight. He’s never liked the guy anyway.”

Harper snorted at that. “Thanks, but I think I’ve got it handled,” she assured the other woman.

Maya shrugged. “Okay. Well, if you change your mind, the offer’s always open. I know people.”

“You know people, huh?” Harper smirked. “Well, I don’t think I’ll be needing their services.”

“Whatever you say,” Maya returned innocently, taking a small sip of her beverage. “Just. Options and all, you know.”

“Yeah,” Harper laughed, snagging a peanut from the bucket in front of the captain. “Options.”

She realized, as the night went on, that while she might’ve grown up without much of one, she’d gotten a family the second she’d accepted the job with JAG. And, knowing what she knew about the people she worked with, she was pretty sure it was the best sort anybody could possibly be part of.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still trying to find my footing when it comes to writing Maya, so I hope I halfway figured out her voice here. I like to think she and Harper are closer friends outside the office.


End file.
